The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 319: A Bittersweet Victory

The Den was filled with laughter and cheers; the Lions fans joyfully sang from the stands. With only three minutes of stoppage time left, the match would soon end, marking the conclusion of Millwall's Premier League campaign for the season. The only domestic match remaining was the FA Cup final, which had nothing to do with them. So, on this last home game, the fans felt relaxed and carefree. As long as Manchester United couldn't clinch the title on their turf, they were fine with any other outcome.

Millwall seized their chances in the final minutes of the game as United attacked with all their might but without success. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was on the front line, cleverly feinted a pass, completely fooling Stam. In an instant, he rushed towards the goal, causing Stam to completely lose his fighting spirit: no chance.

Van Nistelrooy advanced, noticing that Stam was no longer pursuing him. He slowed his pace, seemingly intent on maximizing his chances at the shot.

Schmeichel mirrored his movements, cautiously stepping forward to cover more ground, wary of a potential lob.

Aldrich was already on his feet, bracing himself for the final whistle. When he saw Van Nistelrooy dawdling instead of shooting, he appeared caught in a web of indecision, turning back to gesture to his coaching staff: this guy seems to be pondering life at this moment!

Perhaps Van Nistelrooy was thinking that if he scored, he would complete a hat trick against Manchester United. He became even more determined to send the ball accurately into the opponent's net.

Just as he decided to take the shot, someone nudged him from behind, poking the ball to Schmeichel.

A sigh swept through The Den, with fans shaking their heads in disbelief from the stands.

You're overthinking it!

Just take a shot! Even if you miss, it doesn't really matter!

After conceding possession, Van Nistelrooy steadied himself and turned to see that it wasn't Stam who had dispossessed him but an unexpected player: Solskj?r.

The other Manchester United players had given up. Even Stam, who was closest to the ball, had been caught off guard when Van Nistelrooy bypassed him, leaving him staring blankly at the goal.

However, one player hadn't given up: the baby-faced Solskj?r. From the moment Millwall had failed to score, he had sprinted back in a frantic defense. By the time Van Nistelrooy got on the ball, Solskj?r had nearly made it to midfield. Under normal circumstances, Van Nistelrooy shouldn't have been in a position where Solskj?r could dispossess him from behind, but his mind seemed to freeze, missing out on a golden hat-trick opportunity.

Aldrich clapped his hands on the sidelines, his applause directed at Solskj?r. The match could be lost, but their spirit couldn't falter!

However, Solskj?r's defense only prevented Manchester United from conceding a fourth goal.

When Schmeichel sent a long clearance forward that Lampard headed back, the referee blew the full-time whistle.

"What a match! Millwall conclusively finished 3-1 against Manchester United at home! Cast your mind back to Old Trafford, where Millwall fell 2-4. Fast forward to this final showdown after half a season, and they've turned the tables to win by two goals! For United, this defeat is a real hard pill to swallow. Meanwhile, over at Villa Park, Aston Villa pulled off an unbelievable 1-0 victory against league leaders Arsenal! United only needed a draw today to snatch that trophy back, but they couldn't manage even that! This season, they leave empty-handed, with their closest shot at the title crashing down at The Den. Aldrich-Hall's side leveled on points with United but lost out on goal difference to sit third, trailing the new champions Arsenal by just one point. Can you believe it? In their third Premier League season, Millwall finished third—their lowest rank yet—after a second-place finish and a glorious championship win in previous years. Aldrich's squad finds themselves at a crossroads; if they can't take down Real Madrid in the Champions League final, they could miss out on next season's European action. This could be a fitting punishment for being a manager who's just not liked by the big boys in the league! Over the last three years, Millwall has either taken the crown or stood in the way of others' hopes, leaving Newcastle and United licking their wounds. Yet, United should remember—if it weren't for Aldrich's boys who beat Newcastle two years ago, their miraculous title comeback might never have happened. With all 380 Premier League games wrapped up this season, hats off to Arsenal! Wenger's delivered on his promises, rejuvenating a once-great club back into the champions' circle! It's exciting times ahead, and I bet next season's title race will be fiercer than ever! If Liverpool steps up, the Premier League will be an absolute thrill ride! Let's gear up for next season and hope England makes waves in the World Cup!"

After the match, Aldrich approached Ferguson to shake hands. The Scottish manager swiftly exchanged pleasantries with him before making his exit.

The replica Premier League trophy was taken away.

The FA truly thanked Millwall for defeating Manchester United at home.

The important figures in the FA's awarding ceremony had all gone to Villa Park, and no one had anticipated Arsenal's unexpected slip. If Manchester United had actually drawn with Millwall or turned the game around, the FA would have found itself in a very awkward position, at least with less notable guests presenting the awards to United.

The United players swiftly left the field, and as they entered the player tunnel, Neville kicked the wall in frustration...

Aldrich raised his hands in applause on the pitch and then walked towards each stand, bowing in gratitude to the fans.

The players expressed their thanks to the fans before leaving early; their season was not yet over, and everything needed to proceed in order.

The post-match press conference was fairly uneventful, but one reporter, with ulterior motives, asked, "Does Millwall prefer to see Arsenal claim the title instead of Manchester United?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Aldrich replied, "I'd prefer to see Millwall win it."

"But Millwall has no chance at winning it."

"Are you suggesting that we should let Manchester United win?"

"..."

The reporters on Fleet Street all cast disdainful glances at the Mirror reporter.

Millwall didn't deliberately target Manchester United at all, right?

They have fielded their entire second line with not a single starter in sight. What else do you want them to do?

They were preparing for the Champions League final, wary that Manchester United might come at them fiercely, avoiding injuries to the main players. Everyone understood. Manchester United's failure to win the match had nothing to do with Millwall—it was simply that their forwards failed to convert opportunities, and their golden midfield could provide enough support; the forwards just didn't seize their chances, which was their problem.

After the press conference, Aldrich drove home.

Once he settled onto his sofa, he pulled out his phone and sent a congratulatory message to Wenger.

After sending the message, he tossed the phone aside, sprawled on the sofa, and turned on the television, his gaze unfocused.

Thoughts about the team's performance throughout the season lingered in his mind.

He needed to reflect and ponder.

This season, Millwall had fought on four fronts, with a total number of matches similar to last season. Their performances were quite decent based on rotation, but the reasons for their failure to defend the title were twofold: one was that various teams employed parking the bus strategies against Millwall; the second was that their strategy of "playing weak against weak" in the first half of the season had failed, causing them to drop many unnecessary points.

As he thought, his phone suddenly vibrated. It was a text message. He initially thought it was a reply from Wenger, but when he picked it up, it wasn't at all; Wenger was probably busy celebrating with his players.

It was a message from Moyes, who had revitalized Preston in the second half of the season. Preston had fallen into the relegation zone by midway through the season but had surged forward under Moyes's leadership, escaping the relegation battle and even reaching the playoff final for promotion. A few players he had loaned out had performed exceptionally well. Moyes invited Aldrich to come watch the playoff final for Preston.

After some thought, Aldrich politely declined the invitation, using preparations for the Champions League as an excuse.

Having multiple friends means having multiple paths, especially cultivating good relationships with other club managers is beneficial for Millwall's future loan deals.

As the television began airing the season review of the Premier League, Arsenal was the focus of the discussion, closely followed by Chelsea. Chelsea, who finished fifth in the league, had seen a tremendous leap this season, not only achieving their highest-ever Premier League ranking but also becoming runners-up in the League Cup and reaching the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup.

As for Manchester United and Millwall, they were relegated to roles of condolences and regrets. Liverpool, however, was numbingly stable, consistently placing third or fourth in the league...

The top scorer in the Premier League set a new low record this year, with just 18 goals enough to claim the Golden Boot. Four players ended up sharing the award, and though Larsson was among them, it could be counted as a successful title defense. The other three, also with 18 goals, were Dublin, Sutton, and Owen!

In terms of individual awards, Millwall experienced a dismal year, aside from Larsson's Golden Boot.

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang.

Aldrich got up to answer the door, and Yvonne appeared at the entrance with a bright smile, saying, "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

He nodded, feeling a bit down.

Yvonne walked in and said, "I called the restaurant for delivery; dinner should arrive within an hour."

Aldrich glanced at the clock on the wall, asking curiously, "How did you know I hadn't eaten by this time?"

"Because you can't eat when there's something on your mind."

Aldrich leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and tilted his head with a teasing smile, "What's on your mind?"

"The team's Champions League match next season."

Aldrich shook his head helplessly; she had indeed guessed correctly.

Millwall ranked only third in the league, and if they didn't win the Champions League, they would have to compete in the UEFA Cup next season, which would undoubtedly diminish Millwall's appeal to keep players.

"Hey, stop worrying about that. Just wait for dinner. By the way, Brady and the others want us to go out for drinks tonight."

Aldrich sat down, temporarily putting away his worries, and joked, "Let's hope we don't run into any Arsenal fans while we're out."

Yvonne shrugged nonchalantly, "I'd actually love to run into a few. I'd really like to see the look of pride on Arsenal fans' faces."

Aldrich raised an eyebrow, "What kind of mindset is that?"

"A pretty normal mindset. I just don't know what day Arsenal won the title. The later, the better, after the number."

"Come on, don't jinx it, alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Guess for yourself."

As Aldrich chatted with Yvonne while waiting for dinner, he quickly shifted his mood. He knew that when facing the Champions League final, no outside factors should become his worries; otherwise, it would hinder the team's preparations and performance.

While other teams were on vacation, the three London teams were in an intense state of preparation.

Arsenal was preparing for the FA Cup final.

Chelsea was gearing up for the European Cup Winners' Cup final.

Millwall was set for the Champions League final.

London had become the epicenter of English football this season!